


Rip Current, Ripple

by providentialeyes



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Age Difference, Alley Sex, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Emotional Constipation, Getting Together, Grinding, Idiots in Love, Non-Binary Arthur Morgan, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Other, Outdoor Sex, Power Dynamics, Power Imbalance, Semi-Public Sex, Tent Sex, Top Arthur Morgan, Vaginal Fingering, Wet & Messy, blows kiss- for the trans tops, i dont normally tag top/bottom but it's subversion so, it's pretty mild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:33:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/providentialeyes/pseuds/providentialeyes
Summary: "You been in a bad way lately," John whispers, "Like you're sinkin' again, the same way you did after- After…""Don't," Arthur mutters and shifts his weight, fingers flexing around John's cock, the younger whimpering lightly in response, "You want this?""Do you?" John asks quickly, "Cause it don't much matter what I want if you ain't on board. I know you can be a bit funny 'bout-""Shut up, John," Arthur mutters and rubs his thumb along the length of John's cock."I didn't mean it like- Like a bad-""I know," Arthur whispers, the softest tone his voice has had all night, the older sighing and drawing his lower lip in to suck on it momentarily, "I know."
Relationships: John Marston/Arthur Morgan
Comments: 12
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i could've sworn i wrote non binary arthur but i can't find it so who fucking knows  
> slit, nub, and chest are used for Arthur

It isn't planned, isn't thought through _at all,_ it isn't the gentle, quiet, midnight confession that melts into a warm and loving first time between lovers. 

It's after a few weeks of… Tension.

John couldn't name the moment it started, why, or what caused it, but something shifted so drastically between him and Arthur he finds himself pining after the older like he's never pined before. 

Arthur's had this air of hostility about him since John's known him.

Not intentional, or even very aggressive, but there, nonetheless.

Hostility, aimed inward, just as much as it's wielded like a suit of armor towards those he finds a reason not to trust.

"Hey," John says quietly as their paths cross on patrol, stopping, instead of turning around to circle back. 

"Hey?" Arthur mutters, obviously tired, annoyed with something. 

"... You alright?" John asks, voice pitching up nervously. 

Arthur shoulders his shotgun and frowns at the younger man. 

"Why?"

John licks his lips, can hear the crisp disinterest in Arthur's tone. 

"Dunno," John edges, "You just seem… Wound up, I suppose."

"I'm tired."

"Yeah."

"Turn around, John."

It's not a request.

John turns around, continues patrolling his half of the perimeter.

\--

Javier relieves him, tells him to go get Arthur, so John grabs a change of clothes for the both of them, everything they'd need for washing up. 

Tries to make his footsteps a bit louder, as he looks for Arthur, not wanting to sneak up on the already-irritated older and get a bullet in his teeth. 

The hand on his shoulder has him jumping out of his skin. 

He pivots wildly, only to see Arthur's stupid, beautiful, frowning face. 

"Good Christ, Arthur!" John exhales heavily and rubs his chest lightly, shifting the bundle of cloth and soap, "Warn a fe-"

"What's that?" Arthur murmurs, pointing at the bundle.

"Oh… Uh, well, I figured you might join me,” John says slowly, “At the river. Or that you’d wanna bathe, don’t have to do it with me.”

“... Alright,” Arthur says after a moment.

“Really?” John asks, eyes wide in shock at how easily Arthur accepted.

“... Were you kiddin’ me?” Arthur asks and he sounds _exhausted._

John shakes his head quickly and nods in the direction of the river before quickly shuffling in that direction.

\--

He leads Arthur through the woods, not to the usual bathing spot, but to a small pool at a bend in the river, deeper and calmer. 

A moderate waterfall off the side keeping the water from going stagnant. 

“This alright?”

“Sure,” Arthur murmurs and John’s growing increasingly worried about how agreeable Arthur’s being. 

He sets down the bundle and digs out the soaps and cloths, bringing them to the bank before starting to strip. 

After a moment he hears Arthur behind him following suit.

John lowers himself to sit on the edge, where the pool straddles the river, it’s quicker, the water making little ripples here that feed larger rip currents downstream. 

“You alright?” John asks again, quietly, as Arthur moves behind him, closer, slipping into the cool water in the pool. 

“I’m fine, John.”

“I don’t think you are,” John says and lifts his gaze, seeing Arthur’s shoulders tighten, the older facing away from him. 

"Why'd you bring me down here?"

"Huh?" 

Arthur turns and strides through the water like it's nothing, coming to stand between John's knees.

John blinks wide eyes, looking up at Arthur's stormy face, the older having gained a few inches with him sitting.

"... Art?" John whispers.

"Why…" Arthur trails off and narrows his eyes at the younger man, "Why do you _care_ so much lately? You won't leave me alone."

"I-I didn't realize I was botherin' you," John says hoarsely.

"That ain't an answer."

John's chest aches sharply and he closes his eyes.

Startles, when Arthur's roughened fingers land on his upper thigh, squeeze.

"What are you-?" John swallows thickly, opens his eyes, can hardly breathe as he watches Arthur's touch inch closer to his cock.

His suddenly very interested cock.

"Am I wrong?" Arthur whispers, voice gruff and a bit mean, "This what you want?"

Arthur's hand wraps around him and John makes a small, wounded noise, quickly moving to grab Arthur's wrist.

"Wait. Arthur, I- Hold on," John says desperately.

Arthur stills, relents to John holding his hand in place, but doesn't loosen his grip on John's cock. 

"I… If you want this, then yeah. Yes. _Please_ ," John squirms slightly, his knees flush to Arthur's outer thighs, "But this ain't… Arthur, I'm just worried."

"Worried?" Arthur repeats incredulously, and John lifts his gaze at the tone, meets Arthur's stormy blue eyes.

"You been in a bad way lately," John whispers, "Like you're sinkin' again, the same way you did after- After…"

"Don't," Arthur mutters and shifts his weight, fingers flexing around John's cock, the younger whimpering lightly in response, "You want this?"

"Do you?" John asks quickly, "Cause it don't much matter what I want if you ain't on board. I know you can be a bit funny 'bout-"

"Shut up, John," Arthur mutters and rubs his thumb along the length of John's cock.

"I didn't mean it like- Like a bad-"

"I know," Arthur whispers, the softest tone his voice has had all night, the older sighing and drawing his lower lip in to suck on it momentarily, "I know."

And then he kisses John, and John lifts his hands to Arthur's shoulders, fingertips digging in. 

Arthur's hand strokes him off slowly, an easy, unhurried pace despite John feeling like the world is rushing around them.

"Arthur," John whispers against the older's lips, "Can I…?"

"Hm?"

"Touch? Where… Is it alright if-?"

Arthur huffs quietly and moves down, biting and sucking a path to John's sternum.

Before shoving the younger man back onto the grass.

John flails a bit but settles with the shock of it all, watching Arthur lift himself up and straddle John.

John's face flares cherry-red at the feeling of his cock sliding against Arthur's slit, the hot, slick warmth telling him it's more than just the river water that's got Arthur wet.

"Christ," John says weakly and struggles to keep his eyes open as Arthur picks up his hands and places them on the older's chest.

John hesitates, then watches Arthur as he slowly turns his hands to cup either side. 

Arthur's eyes shuttering closed when John's thumbs brush over the older's nipples.

"Good?" John whispers.

Arthur makes a small, encouraging sound and rocks his hips, grinding on John's cock.

"Fuck," John gasps and bucks his hips up.

It doesn't do much, Arthur's a solid weight on top of him and his cock slides through the slick leaking outta Arthur.

The older grunts quietly then bites down on each sound following, watching the woods as he rubs himself off on John. 

"Nn… Arthur," John pants and slides one of his hands down to Arthur's waist, squeezing firmly, bony fingers digging into the thick flesh over firm muscle. 

He whimpers, cock twitching against Arthur, listening to the older snort a small sound of amusement. 

"Y'alright, Johnny?" Arthur murmurs and shifts, tilting his hips to get a better angle, lips parting with a winded sound, nub perfectly rubbing against the head of John's cock. 

"Yeah," John says and Arthur's taken aback by the sincerity.

Looking down at the younger man.

Exhaling a moan when John's hand on his chest squeezes lightly, plays with the tender flesh.

"Shit," Arthur whispers and ducks his head, inhaling shakily.

"Are you?" 

"Hm?"

" _Alright_ , Arthur, are you?" John asks hoarsely.

"Fine… Real fine," Arthur whispers, grinds down in a long, drawn-out line, slick letting his slit slide easily, rutting on John's cock. 

John lets slip a weak, sound, a barely managed forewarning. 

Arthur hears, doesn't let up, sits heavier, grinds harder, faster, closing his eyes tight.

Feels John's cock jerking against him, hot, thick come easing the ride even more.

John's fucked out whimpering is what really does him in, the younger begging quietly, rocking up against Arthur.

Arthur lifts up slightly, slips two fingers between them and pushes himself over the edge, with John's pink and slippery cockhead peeking out from the bush of honey-brown curls between his legs. 

"Shit- John- Pl-" Arthur cuts himself off with a groan, turning his face into his shoulder, hips jerking against his hand as he rubs himself firmly, clenching and pulsing around nothing as he comes, slick dripping in sticky lines onto John's cock. 


	2. Chapter 2

  
The siding is smooth behind John, freshly painted. 

He makes a muffled sound of surprise into Arthur’s mouth, hands hovering, trembling, then clenching around the older’s suspenders.

Arthur’s rough, and smooth, moving with both intent and ferocity. 

His hands get John’s pants open and the younger man’s cock out faster than John thinks even he himself could. 

Arthur pulls back, breathing heavy and looks down between them, his coat open and hanging around them, offering a bit of privacy to what his hands are doing from any oblivious soul who might pass by the dark alley they’ve tucked into. 

“W-What?” John asks shakily then gasps, thin and wobbling as Arthur’s warm, gloved hand wraps around his cock, Arthur spitting down into his hand to smooth the slide of leather up John’s length. 

“You had a mouth on you before?” Arthur asks gruffly. 

John makes a small, helpless noise and his hips twitch into the older’s grip at the thought. 

“What… Why are you-?” John whispers. 

Arthur pauses, abruptly and John grits his teeth at the burn in his gut. 

“... This alright?” Arthur asks slowly, carefully. 

“I- Yeah? But…” John swallows and tugs lightly on Arthur’s suspenders, “Just surprised.”

Arthur frowns at him lightly and loosens his grip, watching, hawkish, as John slumps against the siding. 

“Bad kind?”

“No… Just the surprised kind, I-” John takes a shaky breath in, looking up at him from leaning back, “You been avoidin’ me… Thought you were mad over what I….. We did.”

“I wasn’t avoidin’ you,” Arthur mutters but he’s frowning as realization leaks into his expression, grumbling, “Sorry.”

“... _Fuck_ ,” John whispers and moves one hand down to wrap around Arthur’s, squeezing his cock with Arthur’s hand, “You ain’t mad?”

“Nah,” Arthur studies him for a moment, then slowly drops to his knees on the cobblestone, briefly glancing out at the semi-busy nightlife passing by. 

They’re in the part of town where this isn’t _extraordinarily_ unusual behavior. 

“You didn’t answer me,” Arthur says quietly as he looks up at John through his hair, brushed loose, having run his fingers through it in irritation ten-too-many times tonight. 

“Yeah.”

“That the answer, or you agreein’?” 

“... Answer,” John swallows thickly, shifts his fingers to carefully slot in with Arthur’s around his cock, “You gonna…?”

Arthur slowly lifts a brow at him in doubt then leans in, pushes back John’s foreskin, wraps his lips around the already leaking cockhead. 

John makes a wounded sound then quickly lifts his other hand to bite at the meat of his thumb, dark eyes wide as they look down at Arthur. 

Arthur knows John was lying, there’s no way the younger man would’ve done anything without bragging about it in his youth, or lacking the ability to be subtle more recently. 

He keeps it tender, at first, despite how bad he’s aching for it, how badly he wants John to just… Let him forget everything for a while except the feeling of a cock making his jaw ache and his throat spasm. 

Arthur carefully takes the younger man’s cock deeper, pulling John’s hand away and pinning it to the younger man’s hip with his own.

“Arthur,” John whispers before biting down, literally, on a whine, trying to stay quiet, hips giving the tiniest thrust forward, “Shit- I- Sorry.”

Arthur swallows around the tip as it nudges into his throat, breathing deeply through his nose and closing his eyes. 

Sealing his lips and sucking, listening closely to John’s little sounds, trying to hear a pattern, a warning. 

Anticipation building in him, as he bobs his head lightly, letting go of John’s hand and setting his fists on his thighs. 

John’s tell ends up being a slightly higher whimper and then his hips jerk, cock fucking into Arthur’s throat. 

Arthur resists the urge to cup himself through his pants, shifting on his knees and swallowing, again. 

Again. 

Again, until he hears John curse quietly and the younger man’s cock jerks in his mouth, hips giving little, barely-abandoned thrusts. 

Arthur lets himself relax into it, lets John take, for a little bit, lets the younger man try and control himself and miserably fail to not show his hand, his inexperience. 

He estimates the timing and pushes forward when John thrusts, the younger man’s cock dipping deeper into his throat. 

“Fuck,” John gasps and grabs roughly at Arthur’s face, thumb digging in under Arthur’s eye, his fingers yanking at the hair near Arthur’s temple, “Please, Art- I’m-”

Arthur groans, a bit weaker than he’d like to admit, muffled around John’s cock, needy. 

John hisses, grits his teeth, and comes with a broken sound. 

Arthur carefully swallows and swallows and swallows in increments as he pulls off, until he’s breathing hot over the head of John’s cock and there’s cloudy spit mixed with seed dribbling down his chin. 

He presses his lips together, squirming slightly and wrinkling his nose as he opens his eyes, moving his hand to cup the flesh between his legs, pressing the seam of his trousers and drawers into his slit.

“What do you- What can I-?” John asks breathily and Arthur looks up, sucking in a breath at the sight of John flushed and hazy. 

Arthur stands and hesitates, then gestures at John loosely. 

“Put yourself ‘way,” Arthur murmurs, “Then head back to camp.”

Arthur takes a minute, watching John, until the younger man shakily nods, turns. 

Wipes his chin and walks out into the bustling foot traffic. 

\--

He hears the heavy hoof beat of John's horse a half hour after he makes it back.

He doesn't move, stays laying back on the combined pallet of their bedrolls and blankets. 

It takes longer than it should for the tent flap to lift and John to cautiously duck in. 

Arthur mumbles a greeting, allows it to come out as tired as he feels.

Sees John's confusion clear as the scars on the younger man's face. 

"You… Arthur?" John asks quietly.

"Hm?"

"Am I supposed to know what you want here?"

Arthur huffs a small laugh and rubs the heel of his palm over his eye.

"Nah, it's… Sorry," Arthur mutters.

John's quiet for a small moment then sighs lightly and starts to strip down to his drawers, laying back roughly next to Arthur when he's finished. 

"Why are you sorry?" 

"I'm not tryin' to be… Difficult, or-" Arthur makes a vague gesture, covering his eyes, "Hold out on you."

"... I didn't think you were?"

"You ain't disappointed?" Arthur asks a bit roughly, "Thinkin' you was gon' come back and fuck me?"

He hears John swallow loudly and grimaces. 

"Yeah, exactly."

"... Can you hold my hopes against me?" John murmurs and squirms around, wrestling to get comfortably under his blanket, slung over his waist and one leg.

"Hopes?" 

"Arthur," John whispers, "Y'know I really- I'm…"

Arthur slowly lifts his hand to peek at John in the dim lighting. 

John quirks his mouth to the side unhappily. 

"If you don't want me, I get it… But why'd you…" John sighs harshly and closes his eyes, "If you just want someone to toy with can't you…"

John presses his lips together, going quiet as the suggestion processes and makes him falter. 

"Nevermind," John whispers. 

"... 'Toy with'?"

"You keep makin' me… You keep ropin' me into these-These… _Situations_ ," John says hoarsely, "But I feel like I ain't allowed to do the same?"

"Is that a request?"

"Honestly? I ain't sure."

Arthur turns onto his side to prop himself up on his elbow, study John intensely. 

John squirms under the buzzing nervousness that fizzles up his spine, despite his eyes being closed Arthur's focus feels like fire. 

"What do you mean by 'do the same'?" 

"Like… _Anythin_ ', Arthur. Christ," John mutters, "I mean start somethin' or pull _you_ into an alley, or just… Just _touch_ you."

"Who said you can't?" Arthur whispers. 

"You, when you didn't say I _could_."

"You can."

John opens his eyes and looks up at him. 

"Seriously?"

"If I don't want it, I'll let you know."

"I don't wanna have to guess, Arthur, please," John whispers.

Arthur frowns at the younger man for a long moment, trying to think of any guidelines he can give John.

"Not in public-"

"No shit."

"Not in _public_ ," Arthur says again, firmly, "If I move your hands, don't argue it, and don't… Don't try n' hold me down."

"... Alright," John says slowly, "S'that it?"

"Think so."

"Can _I_ kiss _you?"_ John asks hesitantly.

Arthur blinks in surprise, nods. 

John lifts himself up slightly, eyes darting nervously between Arthur's eyes and the older's mouth.

Then he closes his eyes and presses his lips to Arthur's gently. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> same terminology used for arthur, nub, slit, hole

Arthur raises a brow in amusement, closes his eyes, brings a hand up to cup the base of John's skull, tilting the younger man's head and returning the kiss, deeper, slower. 

John makes a weak noise, low and shaky in his throat before sitting up more, gripping at Arthur's waist. 

Arthur pulls back slightly, whispering. 

"Why're you always so eager? Slow down."

"I don't want to," John pleads quietly, "Arthur… I've been waitin' years for this."

Arthur leans back further to stare at John. 

"I mean I knew you had… Had some feelin's for me but I thought they were…" Arthur clears his throat lightly and hesitates.

John presses his lips together, lowers his gaze. 

The older is conscious he's moving before he's really made the decision. 

Moving closer, crawling into John's lap, settling himself on the younger man's thighs carefully. 

John's breathing is slow and deep, as his chin is lifted until his face is upturned and Arthur can lean in, resume their kiss. 

John doesn't just touch him, he grips, his bony fingers digging in and clenching, holding on desperately. 

Arthur's somewhat surprised that John willingly follows his guidance with the kiss.

"Can I?" John gasps as his hands stray towards Arthur's crotch, "Please?"

"... Yeah," Arthur says slowly, a bit tense.

It's always tense.

And it's been years since he's had someone else's hands there.

John presses their lips together again, sucks at Arthur's bottom lip as his hands slip into Arthur's drawers, fingers grazing coarse hair and meeting drenched, heated flesh.

"Fuck," John says threadily, "Christ, you're warm."

Arthur lets out a shaky breath then swallows thickly. 

“Ah,” Arthur chokes on a small sound as John’s fingers brush his nub, “John.”

John pulls back to look up at him, turning his hand and rubbing his fingers over Arthur’s hole. 

“Inside?” John whispers. 

“Mm, yeah,” Arthur presses his lips together and inhales sharply through his nose when John slides his middle finger in, then another, lips parting again on his exhale.

“How do you…?” John swallows and slowly bends his fingers inside Arthur, curling them as he starts to move them in and out, “What do you like?”

Arthur huffs a small laugh, leans in to hide his face in the crook of John’s neck, moving one hand to grasp at John’s waist. 

John’s fingers crook a little more, fucking Arthur faster, the wet sounds of Arthur’s slick filling the small space. 

Arthur feels his face pinking and presses more firmly into John’s neck, breathing labored. 

“Sh-Shit,” Arthur whispers and rocks his hips into the touch when John’s thumb presses into his nub, a bit rough, firm, “That. Like that.”

“Yeah?” John asks breathily, pushing his thumb to the side and starting to rub the bundle of nerves, slow and deliberately hard, thumb catching as it rubs. 

Arthur doesn’t respond, at least not verbally, his walls clenching around John’s fingers, thighs tensing, hips tilting, forcing John’s fingers deeper, the pressure on his nub to increase. 

“Fuck,” Arthur breaks his silence with a curse that comes out almost like a whimper. 

“C’mon,” John whispers and starts to rub harder, using his whole hand to rub and fuck and grip at Arthur, “Wanna make you come.”

“Jesus,” Arthur breathes out shakily and makes another small sound, reaching down to hold John’s hand in place, fuck himself on John’s fingers, grind his nub on John’s thumb. 

The fingertips of John’s other hand dig into Arthur’s hip and John makes a shaky sound.

“I’m- Art-” John says desperately.

“No,” Arthur whispers, “Wait.. Wait.”

John lets out a small whine then bites it off, groaning into Arthur’s hair as he turns his head. 

“Christ, please, Arthur,” John whispers and curls his fingers, fighting against Arthur’s grip, “Let me-”

“Wanna do this on your cock,” Arthur interrupts roughly, voice hoarse, “Lay you out and ride you.”

John makes a strangled sound and stops fighting, pulling back in surprise, looking up at Arthur. 

Arthur straightens up a bit, cheeks blushing and pupils blown wide, gripping John’s forearm and rolling his lower half. 

It feels obscene, more so than anything he’s ever done. 

“H- John,” Arthur says weakly. 

“... Would you wanna fuck me?” John asks hoarsely, tentatively. 

Arthur stills, blinks, squeezes John’s wrist. 

Clenches around John’s fingers. 

“Shit,” John bites out and drops his head, looking down and to the side as his face flares with heat, “I’d let you.”

“... Serious?” Arthur asks shakily. 

“Yeah… Used to- Used to imagine that, ‘fore I knew,” John swallows thickly, “If you want to… I still do.”

He hears Arthur exhale roughly and then the older is pulling up his face, gripping his chin tightly and pressing their lips together, fucking himself faster on John’s fingers, letting go of the younger man’s wrist.

John jumps on the opportunity, pulling Arthur closer and firmly circling Arthur’s nub. 

“C’mon, c’mon,” John whispers against Arthur’s lips, “So close. Lemme watch.”

Arthur curses and groans and curls in on himself slightly, walls gripping John’s fingers as he trembles and comes, hips twitching as John continues to rub him, draws out his orgasm until his breath is catching in the neediest, weakest way. 

John pulls his hand out of Arthur’s pants and grabs at the older’s hips, tugs until Arthur gets the idea and fits them together so John can grind up against him. 

“Christ, Art, gonna-” John whines and presses his face into Arthur’s neck, biting under the older’s collarbone to muffle a loud moan as he comes, shorter and milder than earlier but still enough to have him shaking in the aftermath.

**Author's Note:**

> might've set this up so i get to write more heh
> 
> [morston discord](https://discord.gg/BFFx4Xy)  
> [my twitter](https://www.twitter.com/providentialone)  
> also Munchy is hosting a Morston Week in August! here's more info  
> [Morston Week Twitter](https://twitter.com/MorstonWeek)  
> [Morston Week Tumblr](https://morstonweek.tumblr.com/)


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